Sutera plant named ‘Olympic Gold’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named ‘Olympic Gold’, characterized by its low-growing and trailing plant habit; very freely branching; densely foliated growth habit; unique yellow and green variegated foliage; white-colored flowers; and long and continuous flowering period.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Suteraplant, botanically known as Sutera cordata, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name Olympic Gold.

The new Sutera was discovered by the Inventor in 1997 in Evesham,Worcester, United Kingdom as a naturally-occurring branch sport of theSutera cordata cultivar Blizzard, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.10,966. Plants of the new Sutera have yellow and green variegated leaveswhereas plants of the cultivar Blizzard have solid green leaves.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atEvesham, Worcester, United Kingdom, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Sutera are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Olympic Gold have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity,daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Olympic Gold’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Olympic Gold’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Low-growing and trailing plant habit.

2. Very freely branching; densely foliated.

3. Unique yellow and green variegated foliage.

4. White-colored flowers.

5. Long and continuous flowering period.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Sutera.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof three typical plants of the new Sutera grown in a 20-cm containerafter four months.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical leaves and flowers of the new Sutera.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thedescription were grown for about 4 months with three plants per 20-cmcontainer. Plants were grown under 50 percent shade provided bypolypropylene shadecloth during the spring and with cultural conditionswhich closely approximate commercial production conditions in Bonsall,Calif. During the production of these plants, day temperatures rangedfrom about 13° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from about 7°C. to 18° C.

Botanical classification: Sutera cordata cultivar Olympic Gold.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch sport mutation of Sutera cordatacultivar Blizzard, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,966.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 15 days at 22° C.

Rooting description.—Fine and fleshy.

Plant description:

Crop time.—From rooted liners, about eight to ten weeks are required toproduce a fully-grown flowering plant in a 10-cm container.

Form.—Mounded; low-growing and trailing; densely foliated. Appropriatefor 10-cm and larger containers.

Branching habit.—Very freely branching with multiple branches and manylaterals. Usually about 20 laterals per plant.

Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About 10 cm.

Area of spread.—About 48 cm.

Vigor.—Moderately vigorous.

Lateral branches.—Length: Primary laterals: About 48 cm. Secondarylaterals: About 27 cm. Tertiary laterals: About 16 cm. Diameter: About1.75 mm. Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:144D.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, opposite andlong persisting. Quantity per lateral branch: Typically about 44 onprimary lateral branches; densely foliated. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width:About 2 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Acute.Margin: Serrate. Texture: Slightly pubescent on both surfaces; somewhatcoarse. Color: Variegated; location and area of colors vary. Youngfoliage, upper surface: 1A, 154A and 143A to 143B. Young foliage, lowersurface: 1C and 138B. Mature foliage, upper surface: 1A, 138A, 144C and150A to 150B. Mature foliage, lower surface: 150C and 138B. Venation,upper surface: 150C. Venation, lower surface: 154A. Petiole: Length:About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: 154C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Solitary, axillary, salverform flowers;sympetalous; actinomorphic; slender corolla tube abruptly flared andfive-lobed. Typically two flowers per node; flowering acropetally.Flowers erect to facing outward at an acute angle. Flowers persistent.

Flower lastingness. —Flowers last about three to four days depending ontemperature and humidity.

Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering under warm growingconditions.

Quantity.—Very freely flowering with usually about 15 to 20 flower budsand open flowers per primary lateral at one time.

Fragrance. —Not detected.

Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Obovate.Color: 155A.

Flower size.—Diameter at lobes: About 1.2 cm. Diameter, corolla tube:About 2 mm. Overall flower height: About 1.2 cm.

Corolla.—Petal lobe length (beyond tube): About 5 mm. Petal lobe width:About 3 mm. Petal quantity: Five, fused. Petal shape: Rounded. Petalapex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth. Color: Petal,upper surface, when opening: 155D. Petal, lower surface, when opening:155D. Petal, upper surface, opened flower: More white than 155D. Petal,lower surface, opened flower: More white than 155D. Corolla throat: 12Ato 12B.

Calyx.—Appearance: Narrow tube; sepals fused at base. Sepal shape:Narrowly linear, strap-like. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.Sepal quantity: Five-parted. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.Color: Upper surface: 144C. Lower surface: 144D.

Peduncle.—Strength: Delicate, but strong enough to support flowers.Angle: Acute. Length: About 6 mm. Color: 144D.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen number: 4. Anther shape: Reniform,flattened. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 11A. Pollen amout:Scarce. Pollen color: 11A. Pistils: Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigmashape: Club-shaped, curved. Stigma color: 144D. Style length: About 8mm. Style color: 144D. Ovary color: 144C.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Sutera have exhibited someresistance to Phytophthora.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named‘Olympic Gold’, as illustrated and described.